Remembering a Journalist Who Harmonized East and West
A eulogy published by bdnews24.com on October 10, 2026, reflects on the life of Toufique Imrose Khalidi (TIK), describing him as a "bright and successful digital editor who harmonised the East and the West at the confluence of journalism." The piece, written by Iqbal Shailo, revisits anecdotes from Khalidi’s life to illustrate his courage, compassion, and professional vision.
Shailo describes Khalidi as a "fearless journalist" whose humanity extended far beyond the newsroom. The tribute highlights Khalidi's journey through various media outlets, including the BBC, where he focused on democracy, politics, business, society, and the transnational economic engagements of various governments of Bangladesh.
Early Acts of Courage in University
The article details an incident from Khalidi’s first year in the English department at university. During this time, he confronted a student leader from Surja Sen Hall who was harassing a second-year female student in the same department.
According to the report, the confrontation resulted in Khalidi being assaulted and having his clothes torn. Despite the physical attack, he shielded the female student and refused to let her be taken by the harasser. Shailo notes that Khalidi’s "sense of justice, courage and ability to navigate an ordeal towered above that of all his peers" at that time.
Professional Development in the 1990s
The tribute also covers Khalidi’s professional activities during the mid-1990s. While serving as editor of ADAB News and The Grassroots, Shailo visited Khalidi at his workplace, The Daily Star.
During this period, Khalidi was also associated with The Daily Telegraph. Shailo reported that Khalidi expressed delight at development news emerging from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and promised to have such stories published in his outlets.
Vision for Policy-Oriented Analysis
In 2009, while Shailo was a visiting scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) delivering lectures on South Asian geopolitics, Khalidi maintained professional contact. Khalidi sent a message encouraging Shailo to write for their digital media outlet focusing on South Asia.
In that communication, Khalidi reminded his colleague that analysis should be policy-oriented rather than merely observational. This advice reflected the broader vision Khalidi held for journalism, which he developed through years of work at major media organizations including the BBC.